


Living Darkness

by RevaliChampionOfTheRito



Series: Apartments From Hell [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Apartment AU, Gen, Mentioned Floris | Fundy, Ranboo-centric (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RevaliChampionOfTheRito/pseuds/RevaliChampionOfTheRito
Summary: Creaking floorboards stopped his reverie, and he heard faint, muffled humming. Someone was coming downstairs.Ranboo has a panic attack, so he goes somewhere no one can find him.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Phil Watson, Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Wilbur Soot
Series: Apartments From Hell [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105826
Comments: 2
Kudos: 287





	1. Chapter 1

Phil said to not go in the basement. Just that. Whenever he brought a new kid home (which nearly felt like every day), he told them the same thing.

In the same monotone voice Phil used, Ranboo could remember what he said, down to each letter.“Unless you got my permission or were asked by me to go down to the basement, don’t go down there,” his eyes hinted, a small portion of warning in them.

Apparently, Ranboo had made assumptions about himself.

He had thought that he was a rule follower, someone who didn’t break rules he was told, but obviously not. Because at the moment, all he could think about was how they cracks in the walls, and the silhouettes in the window panes seemed to have eyes, all pointed at him as he stumbled through the basement with his eyes closed and his mouth open, taking wide gasping breaths like a fish dried up on land.

He tipped over a bucket of water with a mop in it, and then raised his hands up to feel a wall in front of him. Still heaving, he slowly lowered himself down to the floor, where he sat, shivering from the cold and his own panic. 

There was yelling.

An argument had broken out between the one with fox ears, Fundy? And Phil, over some person named Wilbur. Ranboo had no idea who Wilbur was. He just knew he couldn’t handle all the yelling, it felt like as they raised their voices louder to challenge and match one another, choruses more joined in, shrieking in rage.

His body moved on his own, past the man in the red and black hoodie who stopped him for several moments and asked him if he was alright, and veered away from the boy with blonde hair, who eyed him with concern. His room was in the attic, and the stairs were past the argument, past the voices, with their shrieking that hurt his ears and made him want to cry and curl up into a ball. 

He knew that the first floor was occupied by another guy, and he didn’t want him to hear a freak like him crying on his doorstep.

So he went to the basement.

Phil should’ve had him stay there in the first place.

Creaking floorboards stopped his reverie, and he heard faint, muffled humming. Someone was coming downstairs. What would Phil do if he was told Ranboo was down there? Would he yell at him? Ground him? Kick him out back onto the streets?

He didn’t want to find out, so he searched for somewhere to hide. He scoured the area, feeling for something to hide behind, and eventually found a gap, wedged between two wooden boards. Surely he wasn't strong enough to rip the boards, especially if they were nailed onto the walls, it looked hopeless.

Simultaneously, he heard both the whine of the metal door scraping against the floor and a peculiar sound akin to the whoosh of a train, and rolled through the doorway, into a small room. He quickly felt around, and pressed himself as much as he could against a corner, praying to whatever god or gods that were out there that he wouldn’t be caught.

A tiny click resonated, and then the pitter patter of feet against concrete. For a few moments, there was silence.

There was a small “hm” noise. “Looks like I’ll have to tell Ghostbur to be careful about knocking stuff over,” a voice that sounded like Phil muttered, before turning the light of and slamming the door shut.

Ranboo deeply exhaled a breath he didn’t even know he was holding, and relaxed slightly. His panic attack was starting to end, but he was still shaky and drenched in a nervous sweat. 

He stood up, and felt for a light switch, careful to not hit one of the walls. Eventually, he felt a small string, which he pulled. There was a resonant click in response, and there was a warm glow.

And a guy with teal-tinted skin, smiling with his eyes closed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was likely another lecture, possibly a punishment, maybe he’d even get kicked out. Ranboo went stiff with fear, pressing his body to the far wall.
> 
> Ranboo learns who the man with teal skin in the secret room is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on posting this, but I wanted to clear something up that I don't think I cleared up in the last chapter.
> 
> Anyways, again, any constructive critiques are appreciated! I've only recently gotten back into writing, so I'd be thankful for any way to improve.

Ranboo was about to lose it. He was losing it. He was seeing things, there was a guy in front of him! With teal skin! As far as Ranboo knew, that wasn’t a normal skin tone.

Clapping a hand over his mouth, he veered away from the discolored man. And tripped himself over a small stack of books. His reflexes allowed him to catch himself from possibly breaking something on the concrete, thank goodness, but his hands and arms were moderately scuffed, and had several noticeable scratches.

The guy walked- no floated over to him, concern etched onto his face. “Are you alright?” His voice sounded a tad hollow, and just a little too echoey to be… normal, or at least what Ranboo considered normal.

Ranboo shifted his weight, and pushed himself away from the ghost. Some many questions floated through his mind, and as he opened his mouth, they all came out at once.“Wh-what are you- why are you down here? Who are you?”

The man laughed. “Phil didn’t tell you?” He said, a mischievous smile blooming on his face.

“N-no,” Ranboo said, lowering his voice as he shook his head slowly, still tense from the jumpscare. The guy didn’t seem like a serial killer, so at least he had that going for him. Or maybe he was. Maybe Phil kept him down here for a reason, to make sure he didn’t kill anyone. Maybe he was just being normal so that way he could lure Ranboo into his trap. Maybe-

“Are you alright?” He repeated, floating even closer to Ranboo.

Ranboo hadn’t even noticed how panicked he was getting again. His breathing came in giant gasps, as if he had run a marathon, and it felt like his blood was pure adrenaline. “No, I’m confused. Phil said not to go into the basement, and when I do go into the basement, I find a who-knows-what! For all I know, you’re a serial killer!” He tersely whispered, crawling even further away from the ghost until he noticed he was cornered against the wall.

The man didn’t seem to take this well, if his downcast expression was anything to go by. He sighed, before giving Ranboo a melancholy smile. “That’s Phil for you, looking to protect 20 at the expense of 1. Can’t blame him though.” 

Something irritated Ranboo, and had been irritating Ranboo. It was like a hangnail, it felt so out of place, but he couldn’t deduce what was wrong.

And then it clicked into place.

He eyed the guy with suspicion. “How do you know who Phil is? And what do you mean ‘protect 20’?” He inquired, putting air quotes around the ‘protect 20’.

He sighed, before clasping his hands together and gave Ranboo, a wary look. “Alright. What I’m about to tell you, stays between us. You tell no one, got it? Otherwise, we’re both in big trouble.”

Ranboo gave a hesitant nod. He wasn’t ever good at keeping secrets, since he was such an open book.

With a deep inhale, the guy started explaining.

“My name is Wilbur, although you can call me Ghostbur. I us-”

“Wilbur?” Ranboo interrupted, “as in, the Wilbur tha- oh, sorry,” he hadn’t meant to say that out loud, it sort of just slipped off his tongue. He gave a sheepish smile, and gestured for Ghostbur to continue.

Ghosbur waved his hands in an accepting manner. “It’s fine! I do the same thing to Phil all the time. Now, back on track. As I was saying, you can call me Ghostbur. I actually used to live here before I died, because I’m Phil’s son! That hopefully explains to you why I know Phil,” Ghosbur clarified, giving Ranboo a slight nod. “I don’t know exactly how this whole ‘Ghost’ thing works, all I know is that after I died, I woke up in the attic of this apartment, in my old room. When Phil went to bed, he noticed me in my room somehow, and brought me downstairs to the basement, where he said I had to stay, otherwise I’d scare everyone who lived here. And that’s why I stay in the basement!”

So many thoughts were travelling through Ranboo’s mind at what felt like the speed of light. In the short time of around a minute or so, he had learned that there was a ghost that was related to the person who had taken Ranboo in, living in the basement of an apartment complex.

It almost felt like fantasy.

Snapping back to reality, he noticed that Ghosbur had disappeared, and looked around the tiny room to see where he went. He heard a dreaded click that signaled the lights had been turned on. Someone was coming. And he had nowhere to hide. He fumbled for the light switch, but it was too late. The person had already noticed.

“Ranboo?”

Phil. He could recognize that voice any day. His shoulders went rigid, and he slowly turned around, trying to mask his shocked expression.

“What are you doing down here? I thought I told you not to go into the bas-” Phil suddenly stopped his lecture. His eyes widened as he noticed the boards that were nailed onto the extra room were still intact. How did Ranboo get through?

Phil looked around for the utility rack he had installed a few years back, and fished out a hammer. He went to work, pulling out the nails and tossing boards away like a madman, until he could step through.  
There was likely another lecture, possibly a punishment, maybe he’d even get kicked out. Ranboo went stiff with fear, pressing his body to the far wall.

He felt warmth.

Phil was… hugging him?

“Ranboo… don’t scare me like that!” Phil was trying to maintain his composure and keep his voice even, but there was a slight tremble in his voice, and his arms shook in small amounts seconds apart.

It was nice to be warm, and to feel an overwhelming sense of acceptance. He wasn’t angry, he was just concerned for his well being. Ranboo closed his eyes, elated, and let himself relax. He was safe.


End file.
